Snow-shovel



Darren STATES PATENT (Enrica.

CHARLES A. 'WAY, OF NORTH GHARLESTOWN, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SNOW-SHOVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,822, dated January 24, 1882.

Application filed October 31, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. WAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Oharlestown, in the countyofSullivan and State of New Hampshire, haveinvented certain Improvements in Snow-Shovels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a snowshovel constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line no a of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan of the upper portion of the under side of the blade; Fig. 5, sectional detail enlarged.

My invention relates to certain improvements in snow-shovels, and has for its object to secure greater strength and durability in the fastening by means of which the handle is secured to the blade.

In snow-shovels of the ordinary construction a bolt passing through the handle about three inches from its lower end is employed to secure it to the blade, which latter is provided with a small metallic socket to receive the extreme end of the handle and prevent it from having any lateral motion. This bolt, however, is objectionable, as its diameter is necessarilylarge to insure the requisite degree of strength, and consequently its passage through the handle materially weakens thelatter at the point where it is subjected to the greatest strain.

To remove this difficulty is the object of my invention, which consists in securing the handle of the shovel to the blade by means of a curved metallic clasp or clip which is adapted to fit overthe lower end of the handle, and is 'provided with flanges on its sides, through which pass bolts which extend through the blade and are riveted on a plate on the under side thereof, a single bolt or rivet passing through the end of the handle close to the tip and through the blade for the purpose of preventing the handle from being withdrawn or pulled out of the clasp.

In the said drawings, A represents the wooden blade of the shovel, to the upper end of which is secured the ordinary cleat, b.

B is the handle, the under side of the lower end of which is chamfered off, as usual, to enable it to fit snugly upon the surface of the cleat b.

O is a strong metallic clasp or clip, preferably of malleable iron, which is adapted to fit over the lower end of the handle, as seen in Fig. 1, and is provided on each side with a flange or ear, a, through which passes a bolt, d, which extends through the cleat I) and blade A,and also through a metallic plate, D, placed against the under side of the blade, the bolts at being riveted on this plate D, as seen in Figs. 3and 4. The clasp 0, when, thus secured in place, serves to firmly hold the handle which it embraces; and to prevent the handle from being pulled out of the clasp O, and also from having any lateral motion, a bolt, f, is employed, which passes through an aperture at the lower end of the clasp, and also through the thin part of the chamfered end of the handle close to the tip, the'cleat 1), blade A, and plate D, the lower end of the bolt being riveted on the latter, as seen in Fig. 2.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the clasp G, secured as above described, forms a strong, simple, and durable fastening for the handle, which is thusleft of full strength at the point where it is subjected to the greatest strain, the bolt f in no wise impairing its strength, as it merely passes through the thin portion close to the tip,where there-is little or no strain.

On the inner surface of the clasp O are two sharp projections, g, which enter a short distance into the handle and serve to hold it with additional steadiness; but these projections may be dispensed with, if desired.

E is the metallic tip or shoe,which is applied to the lower end of the blade A. This shoe, which is preferably composed of malleable iron, is provided with a centrally-projecting tongue or tenon, h, which fits into a correspondin g groove, 1', formed at the lower end of 9 5 the blade A, and is secured in place by rivets k,which pass through the wood at a point sut'ticiently distant from its edge, and where it is of such thickness as to afford the necessary strength. The upper edges of the tip or shoe E are beveled or inclined inward on each side of the tongue /b from Z to m, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, and fit over the correspondingly-beveled edges n n of the blade A, against which they abut; and b this construction the end of the bladeis securely protected from injury, and the liabifity of the wood being split or broken away, as often occurs in ordinary snow shovels, is thus entirely avoided, while the end of the blade A can be left of much greater thickness than has heretofore been possible where tips of the ordinary construction are employed, and consequently there is no liability of the rivets beingipulled through the wood and the tip becoming loose or detached from the blade, as hitherto.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a snow-shovel, the combination, with the blade A and handleB,of the metallic clasp 0,

provided on its sides with flanges or ears a, secured in place by bolts (1 01, passing through said ears and the blade, and riveted upon the plate D, and the bolt f, passing through the end of the clasp, the thin portion of thechamfered end of the handle, and the bladeA, and riveted on the triangular plate 1), all constructed and arranged substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

Witness my hand this 22d day of October, A. D. 1881.

CHARLES A. WAY.

In presence of- W. A. HUNT, R. J. HUNT. 

